A months-long child abuse investigation in Lakeside has ended with the arrest of a longtime school district employee, leaving families in the small East County district on edge as detectives press forward with their work.
Authorities say 55-year-old Kent Cable, a non-teaching employee of the Lakeside Union School District, was arrested on Sunday and booked into county custody on allegations that he sexually abused a minor. Investigators say the case stems from information that surfaced in September and ultimately led to the felony charges now filed against him.
Arrest and charges
Cable was taken into custody on Sunday and is facing multiple felony counts, including three counts of sexual penetration with a child 10 years of age or younger and four counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14. He was booked into the San Diego Central Jail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow at the East County Regional Center in El Cajon, according to CBS 8.
District role and records
Public payroll records list Kent Cable as a skilled maintenance worker for Lakeside Union, which is a non-teaching position in the elementary district. The district’s 2022 salary listings include that name, according to public payroll data on TransparentCalifornia, in line with reports that the suspect worked for the district.
Investigation and how to help
The case is being handled by detectives with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Child Abuse Unit, who conducted the follow-up investigation after the initial report in September. Investigators are asking anyone with information to come forward.
The Sheriff’s Office issues similar calls for tips in its public bulletins and lists several ways to reach investigators. The Child Abuse Unit tip line is (858) 285-6222, with an after-hours number at (858) 868-3200. San Diego County Crime Stoppers can be reached anonymously at (888) 580-8477, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
What the charges mean
The offenses Cable is accused of are felonies under California law and, if proven, can carry multi-year state prison sentences. Penal Code § 288 addresses lewd or lascivious acts with a child, and Penal Code § 289 covers sexual penetration. The related jury instructions spell out what prosecutors must prove for each charge (see Penal Code § 288 and CALCRIM No. 1100).
Cable remains presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court. His arraignment on the charges is set tomorrow at the East County Regional Center, where further filings and official statements are expected to shed more light on the allegations as the case moves forward.
